Merriam Webster’s dictionary defines retreat as a place of privacy or safety and a period of group withdrawal for prayer, meditation, study, or instruction under a director. A women’s retreat is designed to provide space to break away from life’s busy routine. By taking time to renew, reflect, and rest in a new environment, a woman will find opportunities to grow in her spiritual and emotional life. She will also have space to build friendships and experience community.
Different Kinds of Women’s Retreats
Information-Driven
Focuses on educating women about a topic to enhance their relationship with God and with others
Relationship-Driven
Focuses on women getting to know each other and creating space for hearing each other’s stories/relationship building
Reflection-Driven
Focuses on time alone in meditation on Scripture, prayer, and journaling
Most Christian ladies’ retreats encompass all three of these aspects in some form. Deciding the main focus, however, helps describe the retreat for those who are considering taking part. If you are planning a retreat, you and your team will want to decide the main focus to help direct the planning process.
History of Retreats
The idea of withdrawing to seek God as an individual and in community began with a group of people called the Desert Fathers and Mothers. These laypeople in the early church sought refuge in the Egyptian desert at the beginning of the 3rd century. They wrote a famous document with 1202 wise sayings called The Sayings of the Desert Fathers.
From this 3rd century group, monastic communities of monks and nuns eventually took shape. In more recent church history, the church leader Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) wrote about going away for a retreat in his work Spiritual Exercises. He encouraged Christians to take a break from their usual surroundings to focus on loving, serving, and responding to God.
What is the purpose of a Christian women’s retreat?
The bottom line for taking a retreat is transformation. A woman who sets aside time to focus on interacting with the Lord and interacting with a community of believers experiences growth. Holly Crain, long-time Women’s Ministry Director of Single Parent and Blended Families at Houston’s First Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, shares, “The benefits of a retreat go far beyond the days at the retreat. They can be transformative and life changing. The work that is done in these environments with the Lord is significant and really can’t be measured by one matrix.”
What happens at a women’s retreat?
Women withdraw together for a break from everyday demands. The retreat schedule centers around knowing God and others better to facilitate growth. The activities may include teaching, worship through music, Bible study, small group discussion, fun outdoor activities, sharing stories, personal and group prayer, writing a story of God’s faithfulness, and more. If the time involves staying overnight, late night talks, stargazing, and yummy eats may be part of the experience.
Should you go on a women’s retreat?
“Shoulds” make a person feel like there’s an obligation or expectation. Better questions are, “What will I miss out on if I skip? Is the retreat experience worth the investment of my time and money?” Like other things in life, a person usually gets out of it what she puts into it. Given the track record of positive outcomes from women who attend retreats, the benefits you receive will most likely far outweigh the inconveniences.
Prayerfully the growth you gain from a retreat will last far beyond the time you invested. Christine King, leader of the Women’s Ministry Team at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Charlottesville, Virginia, shares, “A woman will probably not regret going, but she may regret not going when she hears the stories from everyone who was there.”
Whether it is a women’s church retreat, community of friends, or a retreat on apologetics for the faith, a retreat is a unique experience to withdraw for a time of rest, reflection, and renewal. Certain retreats contain elements that others do not. Feel free to ask for an overview of the schedule and speakers before you decide to attend if the details are not publicized. And when you are ready to retreat, take the plunge!